The OutputPath property is not set for project TFS2012

Question

I have a build in our Team Foundation server which gives this warring:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\Microsoft.Common.targets (610): The OutputPath property is not set for project 'Plugin.DeploymentTool.csproj'. Please check to make sure that you have specified a valid combination of Configuration and Platform for this project. Configuration='Release' Platform='x86'. You may be seeing this message because you are trying to build a project without a solution file, and have specified a non-default Configuration or Platform that doesn't exist for this project.

I can't find any solution or why i get this error. But then i look at the generated zip file, the Binary folder are empty. I have tried to use the x86, x64 and Any CPU, to se if there are are any difference, which there are not.

If i look into the project file, it looks okay.

<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
    <DebugType>full</DebugType>
    <Optimize>false</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>DEBUG;TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Release|AnyCPU' ">
    <DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
    <Optimize>true</Optimize>
    <OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
    <DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
    <ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
    <WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
  </PropertyGroup>

What configuration have you configured for the build definition to use? Looking at the message, the Build is trying to use x86, and you only have PropertyGroups for AnyCPU. — DaveShaw, Oct 22 '13 at 11:15
@DaveShaw. Then i look a the summary of the build without the configuration, it's using Debug | AnyCPU. but if i configure the configuration if gives. me the error. I the project it's declared to use the Debug | Any CPU. — mortenstarck, Oct 22 '13 at 12:08

mortenstarck · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-09T13:06:35.627

46

I have found a solution to the problem, which turns out to be a pretty simple one. The default Configuration in TFS Build look like this: Configuration: Release, Platform: Any CPU

But in Visual Studio 2012 it looks like this: Configuration: Release, Platform: AnyCPU

The solution is to remove the space between Any and CPU in the TFS Build Platform. Now it works perfectly.

UPDATE

The issue has been corrected in VS2013.

edited Sep 09 '14 at 13:06

answered Oct 22 '13 at 13:43

mortenstarck

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I've done that myself on command line builds, I can never remember if it's with or without spaces :). Glad you found it. – DaveShaw Oct 22 '13 at 14:20
1

Nice one. I had the same issue. – Spock Feb 09 '16 at 22:55
I'm still seeing this problem with VS2015 and TFS2013. Whether its VS or TFS that's causing the problem I can not say at this point. – Christian May 01 '17 at 08:13

score 14 · Answer 2 · edited Jul 02 '16 at 01:13

14

For Visual Studio Team Services (was Visual Studio Online) integrated builds, @mortenstarck's answer does the trick as well. In the variables of your build, specify anycpu for BuildPlatform.

The variable is referenced in the build step:

edited Jul 02 '16 at 01:13

Esther Fan - MSFT

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answered Apr 26 '16 at 15:06

Brett

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Can confirm this fixes the issue in VSTS. Thanks. – Barrie Apr 29 '16 at 13:22

CodingYoshi · Answer 3 · 2017-02-09T16:57:08.087

12

In addition to the other answers, I have noticed this:

For building a .sln (solution), you need the space so it has to be any cpu (notice the space).
For building a .csproj, you DO NOT need the space so it has to be anycpu.

edited Feb 09 '17 at 16:57

answered Feb 09 '17 at 16:50

CodingYoshi

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The OutputPath property is not set for project TFS2012

3 Answers3